Picking the Best Motherboard for i5 6600k without Breaking the Bank?

​Intel’s i5 processors have been around for more than a year, but they still remain as one of the most popular CPUs for gaming. Although it is slightly less powerful than the i7, the i5’s four cores running at 3.5 GHz (3.9 GHz overclocked), its ability to process up to 4k resolution, and its lower energy consumption makes it truly one of the best processors that money can buy. If you want to unleash the full capabilities of this Intel procy, you need to use the best motherboard for i5 6600k.

But before we go to the factors of consideration for the best choice, let’s first highlight the 3 best products on the market.​

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Motherboard

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Summary​

My Rating​

ASRock Motherboard Z170M EXTREME4

This is motherboard ideal for people who want a minimalistic style of computer set.

ASUS Motherboard Z170 PRO Gaming

Types of 100 Series Motherboards

The intel core i5 processors are compatible to the same 100 series chipsets that the intel core i7 uses, so you basically have the choice between the consumer chipsets and the business chipsets.

Consumer 100 Series Chipset Motherboards

If you are building a PC that you will be using primarily for gaming and/or home use then the consumer chipset 100 series motherboards are the best motherboard for i5 6600k. These motherboards have all of the basic functions that you will need for constructing a computer. These boards provide all of the necessary peripheral slots that you will need regardless if you are building an intermediate or a high-end gaming PC. Although the consumer series are not as feature-packed as the business chipset motherboards, they do allow overclocking of the CPU for faster processing speeds.

​Business 100 Series Chipset Motherboards

As the name implies, these motherboards are meant for medium and large companies. These boards are much bigger to accommodate more storage and advanced features for high-speed networking. These motherboards also have other features that allows for remote maintenance and repairs. Although you can use these kinds of motherboards for your home computer, it is not advisable as they are bulkier and you may not be making use of most of its features anyway.

Considerations to Take when Buying a Motherboard

When choosing a motherboard for your PC, you need to take a couple of things into consideration to ensure that you are getting your money’s worth.

1. Size and Form Factor

If you are thinking of building a minimalist style PC then you will need to choose the best motherboard for i5 6600k that is small and compact, but still provides you with all the necessary ports and slots for basic use. Do keep in mind though that you will need to compromise in performance and space for peripherals in exchange for the smaller form factor. On the other hand, if you are planning on building a gaming PC then you will need to allocate a lot of space for the CPU case as it will be large and bulky as to accommodate all of the high-end parts and the cooling system.

2. SATA Slots

The SATA slots are where you will be plugging in your hard drives. If you are a graphic designer or video editor then you will be needing a lot of hard disk space, sometimes even more than what a single hard drive has to offer. If you think you will need to add one or two additional hard drives in the near future then you need to check if the motherboard you’re getting has more than enough SATA slots for them.

3. RAM Slots

Most motherboards these days have at least 2 slots for RAM, but if you’re building a gaming PC or if you will be using the PC for processor-heavy computing then that will not be enough. You need to find best motherboard for i5 6600k that can handle at least 16GB of RAM, which are usually two 8GB chips, plus two more slots for future upgrades.

4. On board video and sound

For casual use, motherboards with onboard video and sound cards are fine. However, for games and video editing purposes, you will need a separate high-end video card or else you will be waiting forever for the images to render on your screen. Most on board sound cards are fine if you are planning on using basic 2.1 external speakers, but if you will be using a bigger setup then you need to invest in an aftermarket sound card that has enough outputs for your preferred system.

Top 3 Best Motherboard For i5 6600k Reviews

Now that you have an idea on what to look for, here are some of the best motherboard for i5 6600k that you can find on the market.

ASRock Motherboard Z170M EXTREME4

ASRock is one of the leading motherboard manufacturers in the world, and they specialize mostly in intermediate gaming mobos, so you should not expect high graphics performance with the Z170M Extreme4, but with its small form factor it does make it worth the investment.

​Being that the ASRock Z170M Extreme4 is a micro ATX mobo, it can fit in most compact CPU cases. This makes it ideal for people who want a minimalistic style of computer set, but one that can still play graphics-heavy video games at a respectable setting. If you just want an all-in-one computer with not that many bells and whistles then this is the best motherboard for i5 6600k that you will find.

The ASRock Z170M Extreme4 is a micro ATX motherboard, meaning it has all of the required ports and slots for a mid-range gaming PC, but they are all crammed into a compact package. The Extreme4 has 4 slots for RAM, and is compatible with almost all high-end video cards out there should you want to upgrade it later.​

Pros

Small and compact design means you can install it on a smaller, space-saving case

Easy to understand BIOS makes overclocking the processor easy

Can support multiple graphics processors

Cons

There are only three slots available for cooling fans; one for the CPU and two more for case fans. If you want to install additional cooling, you may need additional peripherals to draw power from the HDD.

The motherboard does not support 4k video quality.

The ASRock Z170M Extreme4 is definitely deserving of being one of the best motherboard for i5 6600k simply because it has a lot to offer despite being so compact. For people who just want to build a PC that can handle mid-range gaming and graphics processes then this is perfect.

MSI Pro Solution ATX Motherboard (Z170A PC Mate)

​MSI is famous for producing high-quality, yet very affordable computer parts, especially motherboards. Don’t let their price tags fool you, MSI motherboards can last a very long time when you take care of them properly, this is especially true with the MSI Pro Solution, also known as the Z170A PC Mate.

​The PC Mate is perfect for mid-range computing, meaning you will only be using the PC for common tasks like internet browsing, office works, and the occasional mid-range gaming. The motherboard provides enough slots and ports for all of the peripherals and add-ons that intermediate users might need, but if you’re planning on using this as a base for your high-end gaming rig then you might find it lacking.

​The PC Mate comes with all the bells and whistles that you can find in most other motherboards; on-board video and sound, 4 slots for memory, 6 built-in USB ports, and anything else that basic users will ever need. However, the thing that sets this particular mobo apart from the rest is its affordable price tag.

Pros

The BIOS is intuitive and easy to use.

Affordable price for a mid-range mobo

The board is sturdy and can withstand years of use

Cons

The SATA slots are positioned right underneath the PCI slots, so when you need to add more hard drives, you need to remove the graphics card before you can gain access to the additional SATA ports.

There are only slots for three system fans.

The PC Mate is great if you’re looking into building a mid-range PC on a limited budget. Even though this is one of the cheapest motherboards available, it is still one of the best motherboard for i5 6600k that you can buy.

ASUS Motherboard Z170 PRO Gaming

Asus has always been on top when it comes to high-end computer parts, with their ROG line being their top-tier offerings. However, you can still get high-end specs even if you have a tight budget with the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming motherboard.

​If you think that micro ATX boards cannot handle high-end gaming computer parts then you are in for a treat. This motherboard is for those who are looking for a micro ATX board that can also handle high-end gaming.

​The Asus Pro Gaming board can handle anything that you may want to slap onto it, and it will handle them well. Just like the ROG motherboards, the Pro Gaming has 5-way optimization controls, which makes it easier to overclock the processor and allow it to run at almost max capacity.

Pros

The small form factor allows the user to use it on small tower cases, or in regular cases for more room and better ventilation.

Easy optimization allows for one click overclocking and system tweaking

The throbbing LED lights give an additional aesthetic appeal to any rig.

Cons

The board is not compatible with some high-end RAM modules.

Asus customer support is not the best in the world, so if you run into problems expect to wait a long time before they will respond.

If you want to build a high-end gaming PC on a slightly lower budget, the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming will provide you with the best performance next to the ROG motherboards.

Conclusion

Choosing the best motherboard for i5 6600k is one of the most important steps in constructing a desktop computer because this is the base where you would be placing all the other parts. If you want to make full use of all the parts of your computer, not necessarily just the processor, then you need to start with a good motherboard.

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